The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Anthurium plant, botanically known as Anthurium andreanum, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Wendy.
The new Anthurium is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Schipluiden, The Netherlands. The objective of the program is to create and develop new Anthurium cultivars that have a freely clumping growth habit, durable leaves and spathes, strong roots, attractive spathe color, and good post-production longevity.
The new Anthurium originated from a cross by the Inventor in June, 1995 of the Inventor""s proprietary Anthurium andreanum selection code number 93-2 as the female, or seed, parent with the Inventor""s proprietary Anthurium andreanum selection code number 93-20 as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Wendy was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Schipluiden, The Netherlands in February, 1997.
Asexual propagation of the new cultivar by tissue cultivar of meristem tips in a laboratory in Belgium has shown that the unique features of this new Anthurium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation.
The new Anthurium has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of the cultivar Wendy. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Wendyxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit.
2. Freely clumping growth habit.
3. Durable dark green leaves.
4. Strong root system.
5. Numerous light pink-colored spathes that are positioned upright and beyond the foliage on strong and erect scapes.
6. Good post-production longevity.
The new Anthurium can be compared to the female parent, the Inventor""s proprietary selection code number 93-2. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Schipluiden, The Netherlands, plants of the new Anthurium differ from plants of selection code number 93-2 in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Anthurium are more freely clumping than plants of the selection code number 93-2.
2. Plants of the new Anthurium have thinner and more rounded leaves than plants of the selection code number 93-2.
3. Plants of the new Anthurium have larger and more rounded spathes than plants of the selection code number 93-2.
4. Plants of the new Anthurium have longer lasting spathes than plants of the selection code number 93-2.
The new Anthurium can be compared to the male parent, the Inventor""s proprietary selection code number 93-20. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Schipluiden, The Netherlands, plants of the new Anthurium differ from plants of selection code number 93-20 in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Anthurium have larger and thicker leaves as plants of the selection code number 93-20.
2. Plants of the new Anthurium have thicker but smaller spathes than plants of the selection code number 93-20.
3. Plants of the new Anthurium have light pink-colored spathes whereas plants of the selection code number 93-20 have red-colored spathes.
The new Anthurium can be compared to the Anthurium cultivar Goliath, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Schipluiden, The Netherlands, plants of the new Anthurium differ from plants of the cultivar Goliath in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Anthurium are faster growing than plants of the cultivar Goliath.
2. Plants of the new Anthurium have larger, more rounded and thicker leaves than plants of the cultivar Goliath.
3. Plants of the new Anthurium have longer petioles than plants of the cultivar Goliath.
4. Plants of the new Anthurium and plants of the cultivar Goliath differ in spathe color.